Former Miss America Grace Stanke addresses clash with Senator Lidia Thorpe

Former Miss America and pro-nuclear advocate Grace Stanke has spoken out after a heated moment with controversial Senator Lidia Thorpe in Canberra.

Former Miss America and pro-nuclear advocate Grace Stanke has addressed her heated clash with Senator Lidia Thorpe at a press conference.

The bizarre encounter unfolded just before the well-attended press conference on Wednesday, which was organised by Nuclear for Australia and slated to start at the Mural Hall in Parliament House, Canberra.

Walking past the Nuclear for Australia sign on her way to the elevator, Senator Thorpe yelled that nuclear would “poison your children’s children,” and added, “You have no consent”.

The press conference began shortly after, with no acknowledgment of Senator Thorpe’s outburst.

Senator Lidia Thorpe yells at Grace Stanke as she was conducting a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire

Miss America 2023 and nuclear engineer Grace Stanke holds a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire

“You know, it’s an adventure, I heard Lydia had yelled at the king, so I feel like this is sort of like a rite of passage,” Stanke told Today.

“But it really is exciting, because I think it also draws attention to the need for knowledge and a need for a civil conversation for nuclear in Australia.”

Ms Stanke, who won the Miss America 2023 and is employed by US nuclear energy giant Constellation Energy, urged the government to work with the Australian people, industry and manufacturers, instead of trying to wedge opposition.

The nuclear-advocate is currently on a nationwide speaking tour visiting communities which will be affected by Peter Dutton’s plan to build seven nuclear reactors by 2050.

“Nuclear energy provides clean and reliable energy and it’s got a lifespan of actually, we’re looking at out to 100 years in the US right now,” she said.

The nuclear-advocate is currently on a nationwide speaking tour visiting communities which will be affected by Peter Dutton’s plan to build seven nuclear reactors by 2050. Picture: supplied

“We don’t necessarily know what the end of a nuclear power plant looks like when it’s got that good, clean operating record, so it’s really important to keep that in mind in terms of this isn’t just investing in the next ten years or the next 20 years, this is investing in you, your kids and your grandkids, too and providing those high paying jobs.”

Nuclear for Australia founder Will Shackel also defended an event attended by himself and Ms Stanke last week which had been criticised for solely promoting the Coalition’s nuclear election bid.

The event, which was funded by electronics mogul Dick Smith, took place in the Victorian town of Morwell in the Latrobe Valley, where the Coalition are proposing to construct a reactor at the site of the Loy Yang power station.

“We had standing room only in Morwell … we had a really good reception in the room,” Mr Shackel said.

“We thought it was a really successful event, and … people showed a huge standard of support in that community.”

Originally published as Former Miss America Grace Stanke addresses clash with Senator Lidia Thorpe